Tag Archives: Cotton Aphids

Cotton IPM – Cotton Fleahopper and Aphids

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Most of the cotton fields in the Mid-Coast are squaring and the Cotton Fleahopper is the primary insect pest of squaring cotton. Early this week, we started finding more adult fleahoppers in cotton fields.  Some of these fields had 6 to 8 adult fleahoppers in 20 plants (30-40 per 100 plants).  This is well above my treatment threshold of 10 per 100 plants. Interestingly enough, adjacent fields had much fewer cotton fleahoppers.  This difference between fields demonstrates the importance of scouting each field and making treatment decisions on… Read More →

Cotton IPM – Thrips, Aphids and Fleahoppers

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Cotton Maturity ranges from seedlings to 12-14 node squaring cotton. In some cases, these are in the same field. My cotton on the research farm in Port Lavaca has two emergence dates with older plants having 2 leaves and newly emerging plants coming up daily. I have noticed seedling disease being fairly common in some fields. Notice two of the plants in the above picture are dying. This demonstrated the importance of seed applied fungicides and variety choice. Cotton should be scouted for thrips through the 4-5 leaf… Read More →

Cotton IPM – Matchhead square cotton

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Cotton fields range from 2-3 leaf to 11-12 leaf. Many fields have squares with the older fields at or a little beyond Matchhead square. Fields of squaring cotton should be scouted 1-2 times per week for cotton fleahoppers.  The cotton fleahopper can cause yield losses and delayed maturity by feeding on young squares, causing them to fall off the plant.  Smaller squares are more sensitive to fleahopper feeding. Once a square is 1/4 inch in width, it is thought to be safe from the cotton fleahopper.  Fields are… Read More →

Cotton IPM Update – Early Season Thrips

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Cotton maturity ranges from germinating to 2 leaf. Cotton planted in the last week has been emerging in  5-6 days. This quick emergence is due to warm temperatures and adequate soil moisture. Emergence to first square can take 27 to 38 days. We usually see the first squares 28-30 days after emergence. Thus, cotton planted March 27, emerged April 1-2 and should have the first squares by the first of May. The primary insect of concern is Thrips. Thrips are slender, straw-colored insects about 1/15 inch long, with… Read More →

Cotton Insect Report

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Cotton plant maturity ranges from 9-14 true leaves. We began seeing blooms in a few fields. The fields with blooms had 6-7 nodes above white flower, which shows the effect of drought stress. The water demand of a crop increases significantly as bloom nears and fruit production begins. If we do not get rainfall soon, expect to see wilting cotton fields in the afternoons. Fortunately, we have not seen insect pressure requiring insecticide applications. Cotton fleahoppers have been difficult to find in most fields. Few fields have more… Read More →